Tihar jail may surpass turnover achieved last fiscal

Tihar-prison products made by convicts, popularly known by the brand name of TJ's, registered a record turnover of around Rs 32 crore in 2012-13. Abhishek Sharan reports.

Tihar-prison products made by convicts, popularly known by the brand name of TJ's, registered a record turnover of around Rs 32 crore in 2012-13.

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With the prison likely to clinch a sale order worth around Rs 30 crore for its school furniture products, including dual desks, from the Delhi education department, TJ's turnover in the current financial year might better its turnover record.

The sale of the gleaming rust-coloured dual desks, which is made of wood and nattily combines a desk with a bench for school students, had enabled the prison to record a 266% growth in the turnover of its products last year as well.

The desks, made of teakwood and marandi wood, are priced at around Rs 2,500 each and are crafted by a team of 400 trained convicts belonging to the prison's carpentry unit.

"The biggest contribution to the factories' turnover of around Rs 32 crore last fiscal year had come from the carpentry unit, which contributed around Rs 23 crore to it. The main reason behind the increased turnover was the supply of dual desks to Delhi government schools," said a prison source.

The source said, "We are on the verge of getting a sale order of around Rs 30 crore from the state education department for the supply of dual desks which will be a record in itself. With the state's support, we may even supply them to other states," said the source.

"We are expecting to get an order worth Rs 30 crore from the Delhi government for the supply of dual desks," confirmed Tihar prison's spokesperson Sunil Gupta.

He said, "With the help of a big order like this, we are hoping to achieve a turnover of Rs 50 crore in this fiscal year for TJ's products."

Apart from the desks, the carpentry unit makes chairs meant for teachers, tables with drawers, notice boards, black boards and writing chairs for students.

Over 700 convicts lodged in Tihar jail earn their daily wages by producing a range of commodities, from furniture to blankets in workshops.

For their labour, the prison administration pays the inmates wages as per government rules.